![]() ![]() In previous Devil May Cry games, there are not many contrasting elements or landmarks that are clearly visible from all areas of any given level, so it is easy to get turned around and confused. The addition of the roots and other guidance factors greatly improve the flow of the level. A drop-off that prevents the player from going back the way they came. Orbs are placed along the pathways between clearings not only to reward the player, but to “pull” them forward. In terms of maintaining the level’s pacing outside of combat, there are abrupt drop-offs near a couple of clearings acting as “push” factors that force the player in the direction they should go and prevent them from backtracking. Statue where the player can change their loadout or buy items. It is likely that this is a way of using an established symbol in the game to signal the approach of a dangerous enemy encounter and evoke a sense of anticipation. It is interesting that a statue is placed before Urizen, considering that the player is stopped from defeating him after dealing a certain amount of damage to his shield. One is placed right after the second clearing and the other is placed right before the player confronts Urizen. There are two statues where the player can choose their weapon loadout or buy items to assist them in combat. When any of these symbols appear in the level and the player knows what to expect of them, they are effectively taught the language (Totten, 2014). These symbols stand out from other assets in the level and are taught to the player through experience. Visual language, in terms of level design, refers to the use of recurring gameplay symbols to transmit information to the player. The roots, clearings, doorways, and closing doors are symbols in Awaken’s visual language. Clearings are used to signal a mandatory enemy encounter. The doors are not mandatory to the successful completion of the level, however – they only serve to increase the player’s adrenaline and effectively reward the player for overcoming a greater challenge. Closing doors the player can enter begin appearing after the third clearing and the player must defeat all of the enemies before the door closes, as indicated by the speed of its pulsing. There are eight large clearings that trigger mandatory enemy encounters in Awaken (excluding Urizen). A timed entrance that leads to additional rewards and secrets the player can find. Heart-shaped door frame used to guide the player through low-action areas. These contrasting, circular entrances appear in various clearings later in the level and serve as doorways to extra rewards. The roots guide the player to an open clearing marked by a heart-shaped frame, with a closing entrance on one side that Trish tries and fails to pry open. The roots along the ground contrast sharply against the black and gray tone of the scene. Large, red roots along the ground are used to guide the player through what is otherwise a very bleak environment. In the beginning, the player is given some time and space to collect their bearings as Dante. This is explored in much more detail in the Difficulty Analysis section, but it’s important to be aware of when breaking down the mission into key sections for analysis. The pacing of any given mission is defined by intense bouts of combat with various demons the player must engage. The defining factor for all the games in the Devil May Cry series is the methodical, yet fast-paced and hard-hitting combat. In mission 10 (that I’ll refer to as simply Awaken), the player is introduced (for many, reintroduced) to Dante’s combat style and given multiple opportunities to explore it. Accompanied by Lady and Trish, he embarks to Red Grave City and fights his way through Urizen’s lair, only to be stopped in his tracks by his overwhelming power. ![]() Dante, the devil-hunting protagonist of both Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, accepts a job to defeat the powerful demon, Urizen.
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